Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

This book explores the relationship between the safety of journalists and self-censorship practices around the world, including local case studies and regional and international perspectives.

Bringing together scholars and practitioners from around the globe, Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship provides new and updated insights into patterns of self-censorship and free speech, focusing on a variety of factors that affect these issues, including surveillance, legislation, threats, violent conflict, gender-related stereotypes, digitisation and social media. The contributions examine topics such as trauma, risk and self-censorship among journalists in different regions of the world, including Central America, Estonia, Turkey, Uganda and Pakistan. The book also provides conceptual clarity to the notion of journalist self-censorship, and explores the question of how self-censorship may be studied empirically.

Combining both theoretical and practical knowledge, this collection serves as a much-needed resource for any academic, student of journalism, practicing journalist, or NGO working on issues of journalism, safety, free speech and censorship.

Chapter 1

Introduction: Safety for journalists and self-censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Roy Krøvel and Anna Grøndahl Larsen

Chapter 2

Journalism and self-censorship in the insecure democracies of Central America

José Luis Benítez

Chapter 3

Red lines of journalism: Digital surveillance, safety risks and journalists’ self-censorship in Pakistan

Sadia Jamil

Chapter 4 Chilling or cosy effects? Zimbabwean journalists’ experiences and the struggle for definition of self-censorship

Nhamo Anthony Mhiripiri

Chapter 5

Lèse-majesté and journalism in Turkey and Europe

Aytekin Kaan Kurtul

Chapter 6

Online surveillance and the repressive Press Council Bill: A two-pronged approach to media self-censorship in Nigeria

Olunifesi Adekunle Suraj

Chapter 7 The "tripple" effect silencing female journalists online: A theoretical exploration

Marte Høiby

Chapter 8

A way to silence journalists? Estonian female journalists’ experiences with harassment and self-censorship

Signe Ivask

Chapter 9

Risk perception and the negotiation of safety among Ugandan female journalists covering political demonstrations

Aisha Sembatya Nakiwala

Chapter 10

Fear, trauma and local journalists: Implications for media development and peacebuilding

Michelle Betz and Paul Beighley

Chapter 11

Safety and self-censorship: Examining their linkage to social media use among Ugandan journalists

Florence Namasinga Selnes

Chapter 12

Defending the watchdog: How local NGOs build journalists’ resilience by combating threats to their safety and security

Gerald Walulya

Chapter 13

Conclusion: Researching self-censorship caused by inadequate safety of journalists. Causes, solutions and future research

Ingrid Fadnes, Roy Krøvel and Anna Grøndahl Larsen

Anna Grøndahl Larsen holds a PhD from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, Oslo Metropolitan University. She is currently senior lecturer at the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo. Her research interests include journalism and political communication, comprising topics such as extremism, terrorism and the media.

Ingrid Fadnes is a journalist and researcher connected to the Media, War and Conflict research group at Oslo Metropolitan University. Fadnes was a member of the organizing committee of the Safety of Journalists conference at Olso Metropolitan University 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Roy Krøvel is Professor of Journalism at Oslo Metropolitan University and the Sámi University of Applied Sciences. Krøvel is a civil engineer with specialization in risk management and holds a PhD in History.